Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change, Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, has met with the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Ms. Celeste Saulo, to discuss stronger climate support for the Pacific.
The meeting took place on June 4th, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, during the UNDRR Global Platform on disaster risk reduction.

Minister Regenvanu was joined by Vanuatu’s Ambassador to Geneva, His Excellency Sumbue Antas, and NDMO Director, Mr. Abraham Nasak. The discussion focused on how WMO can help Pacific Island nations build effective early warning systems, disaster response platforms, and resilient governance structures.

“We need more support, more financing to strengthen our countries’ capacity,” Hon. Regenvanu said. “Our goal is to ensure disasters don’t break us — we must cope, adapt, and build resilience.”

A key outcome from the meeting was the call for Pacific nations to speak with one voice on the global stage to gain stronger support from partners like WMO.

“When we act as one region, partners are more ready to step in,” he added. “We’re already building our first radar system with WMO and SPREP support through a global fund, and several other initiatives are underway.”

The leaders also discussed new regional initiatives aimed at boosting readiness for climate-related threats and agreed on the importance of high-level relationships to move things forward.

“Now that we’ve met face-to-face, we understand each other’s priorities,” Hon. Regenvanu said. “This will help deepen our cooperation and accelerate vital climate programs across the Pacific.”

He stressed that building stronger relationships with global institutions like WMO, as well as with bilateral and multilateral partners, must remain a top priority for Pacific nations. These partnerships enable direct access to funding, expertise, and technology needed to protect communities from increasing climate risks.